Question:
With rising costs and wages once again not keeping pace it is more important than ever to keep as much money in your pocket as you can. Here are some pointers to help send more of your check home each week.
1. Get yourself a visa/mastercard debit card to pay for your personal purchases. (Just be sure to record all your expenses so you dont over draw your bank account.)It can help you keep track of your expenses on the road and it is far easier (for a lot of people) to spend cash. You know the old saying. Once a $20 is broken it goes real fast.
2. Avoid using ATM's unless you happen to find one owned by your bank that does not charge you a fee. ATM's at truckstops charge up to $3.00 (or more) per cash withdrawl. Try to make sure you have enough cash to last your trip before leaving the house. If you need more try getting a cash advance if need be.
3. Try to avoid getting cash advances for personal expenses while on the roadas all this does is start a cycle that is hard to break by reducing your next paycheck, and any time you do get a cash advance get it when you fuel. Most truckstops charge anywhere from $1.00 to as much as $5.00 per cash advance without a fuel purchase.
4. Use the company's money for company business. Try using the cash advance to pay for tolls, scale tickets, etc. Get a comcheck to hire lumpers. Also take the time to record all reimbusable expenses and make copies of reciepts to ensure that you do not get charged for the expediture.
5. Stock up while at home. If it can be bought at the grocery store, Wal-Mart, etc buy it there and not at the truck stop. Some items can be triple the cost at a truck stop verses a discount store. Also many Super Wal Marts, Kmarts, etc have parking lots large enough to get a truck into, especially late at night or early in the morning so you can replenish your supplies while on the road.
6. Get yourself a cell phone (be sure to carefully compare plans and fully understand them) or use pre-paid calling cards to call home. Calling collect should only be done in an emergency. It is a good idea to have a cheap pre-paid calling card with you in case you need to call home and find yourself in a roaming area. (Or a personal 1-800 number may be an option for you)
my wife and I both have cell phones and use a family share plan and can call eachother cell to cell at no charge anytime except for roaming charges if they apply
7. Compare prices. Many times it is cheaper to buy in bulk. That 10 pack of paper towels may end up being a lot cheaper per roll than the 3 pack. Items such as ink pens, paper towels, etc that you end up using a lot of are excellent items for this type of buying.
8. Dont waste money buying the top of the line name brand paper towles. The cheap ones work just fine for cleaning windows and mirrors.
9. Never take it for granted that you are getting accessory pay on a trip. Ask about and make sure you are getting every penny coming to you. (Pay for anything other than driving) Also sometimes in special circumstances a company may pay for something where they normally dont. Never hurts to ask.
10. Take plenty of stuff to occupy your free time with. Whatever you like to do have it with you. Stay out of the truck stops as much as possible when stopped.
11. Limit how many meals you eat in truck stops and resteraunts, fast food etc. Fixing meals in the truck will save you lots of money. On the flip side reward yourself once a day or a few times a week with a hot meal. Many drivers who fail to do this get sick and tired of "truck" food and start eating out all the time and end up going with high dollar meals at every sitting. Also getting out of the truck once in a while can help your over all mental health, not to mention your physical health. Breakfast meal tend to be the least expensive to eat out. Also ask about specials. Sometimes you can find great deals on a hot meal.
12. Save all reciepts for personal, non reimbursed expenses. Most of these can be claimed on your taxes at the end of the year if you itemize. If you do not normally itemize figure you taxes both ways and go with the one that limits your tax liabilty the most. Also be sure to keep your log books as these are your "reciepts" for taking the standard daily meal allowance.
13. The most important: Make a budget and stick to it.
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I can mostly agree, except with the credit card vs. cash thing. The best thing for newbies would be to just buy trucking stuff with cash as you earn it in trucking, and not run out and buy a bunch of junk til you have been out a while. Too easy to take the card and buy stuff just to turn around 6 mos later and quit the business, and still be paying for all that junk on your CC. Especially since such a high percentage of newbies quit. Leave the CC's at home.
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Good post.
But I have an exception, too. Item 3.
Cash advance at fuel purchase is free. Use the company's money for your on the road expenses. Sure your paycheck is smaller by that hundred bucks, but your get a pay advance for free.
Make the company pay you early. Watch your pennies and dollars, of course. But a cash advance for YOUR expenses makes the same sense as a cash advance for the company's expenses. Get them to pay for costs up front. You can probably live on $50 a week. So that $100 advance will pay your expenses for a couple weeks. Nothing wrong with that...

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Never said anything about a getting a credit card. I said a debit card. Big difference. The debit cards are simply electronic "checks" that have a visa or mc logo and the money comes directly out of your bank account. No difference really than using an ATM card to pay for excpet the debit card can be used anywhere that accepts visa/mc.
At least that is what I meant to get across.
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Not everything will work for everyone.
I have just seen too many drivers regard that cash advance as "free money" and forget that a cash advance is an advance on your next paycheck and then wonder why they got a check for $450 instead of the $600 they were expecting.
On the flip side of this I do know some drivers that get a cash advance and that is all the money they allow them to spend each week period.
Any way you go you have to have some self discipline.
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One of the issues for new drivers, and many old drivers is:
Where did my money go. They spend money and have no clue as to how/why they spent so much. This is one of the reasons I advocate not getting personal advances for cash if you can avoid it and using the bank debit card. That way you end up with a record of what you have spent and where and it can help you figure out where, when and how to reduce your personal expenses.
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uturn, I totally AGREE with Everything you said.
Visa, CheckCards/DebitCards, are the best way to spend money while OTR.
CheckCards/DebitCards, are used just like creditcards, EXCEPT with a checkcard/DebitCard, the money comes DIRECTLY from your Checking account & the merchandise is Paid For At the Time of Purchase.(instead of waiting 30days to make a payment on it & then taking 20 yrs to pay it off...as you would with a credit card)
Yes, it is also a good idea to keep a little CASH on you at all times as well.
Get a container of some sort to throw all of your loose change in.(can be used for laundry, exact change tolls, or to splurge on yourself for a little "treat".)

That is SOooo TRUE....When I was a trainer I saw so many drvrs QUIT b/c they THOUGHT the company was ripping them off...but actually, the drvr simply FORGOT that he had taken $200 in Cash Advances.
Some of the drvrs remembered about the Cash Advances, but b/c they did NOT tell their wife about the Advances, they blamed it on the company ripping them off....then the wife gets ticked off More & tells hubby to quit.
I can Not stress enough how important it is to BUDGET & SAVE!
It is also important to cook & freeze food from home to bring.(most of the major trkstps have microwaves for public use.[i](just take your food in & nuke it while you are in the restroom or while you sign your fuel receipt.)
Get yourself a 36quart or 40quart 12volt cooler.(I perfer Igloo, but there are Many brands to choose from....Kooltron, RubberMaid,Coleman, etc.)
Use your Frequent Fueler points to purchase 12volt cooking appliances.(sauce pans, skillets, coffee makers, Burton Ovens, etc.)
Until you learn which states have Tax Free Groceries...I suggest trying to buy as much as possible in your hometown.( or Wal-Marts, K-Marts, & other discount stores throughout the U.S.)
For you smokers....ask other drvrs Where to buy Cheap smokes while OTR.(then when You find out, make sure you STOCK UP.)

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Could you give some examples of #9? What other pay could a driver receive? I know about some companies paying extra for driving into NYC but anythng else?
Thanks,
I Can

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Examples of accessory pay offered by some companies are
Breakdown pay: If you are unable to drive due to a mechanical reason and are down for a set amount of time or longer...typically 24 hours or more
Layover pay: When you are somewhere without a load or if you have had a pickup or delivery rescheduled at the last minute and the company chooses to have you wait until the new time. Again typically a 24 hour wait before this pay becomes available.
Loading/Unloading Pay: Pay for the driver to physically load/unload the trailer.
Extra Stop pay: Pay for having a load that has either multiple pickups or deliveries or both. First and last stops are not paid.
Detention Pay: Pay for being detained beyond a set time at a warehouse. This is usually hourly pay.
There are other types that become very specific for various types of trucking:
Tarp pay (flatbeds) demuurage (tankers) for example.
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9) Driver unload pay, driver assist pay, detention pay, extra pick up or delivery pay, misc pay for those times that you do a "Favor" for dispatch.(Not a good idea to get into a habit of doing "favors" for dispatch.)
Tarp pay(for flatbedders)
Dispatch may need for you to copy or fax your paperwork or bill of lading to them & they'll reimburse you.
If your truck is in the shop, some carriers will reimburse for a motel.(although, you should TRY to get them to give you a ComCheck BEFORE you get to the motel, so that you are Not using YOUR money to pay for the motel.)
Sometimes you may have some damaged or refused product left over that you have to get rid of before you can pick up your next load....dispatch may have you take it somewhere that is Not on your way, so they might give you a little extra for going out of your way to drop it off.
Some carriers will have the drvr purchase certain items that are under $10 & just reimburse you for it instead of giving you a ComCheck for it.(cheaper for the company to process a reimbursment than it is for them to process a ComCheck.)
Sometimes you may have to purchase a headlight, fuse, or other small item for the trk that requires you to send in a receipt.
Make Sure you Make a Copy of the receipt Before sending in the Original.
This is also why it's a Good idea to ask the shop guys at the terminal for Extra Headlights, Fuses, Belts, Hoses, Filters, Oil, Antifreeze, marker/clearance lights....so that you will Not have to buy anything.

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Get your general cleaning supplies, paper, pens, clipboard and notebooks at the dollar store. Buy a poncho or two for those rainy day for a dollar each. Save money and buy disposable bowls and plastic spoons and eat cereal for breakfast.
Bungee cords, gloves, soap, storage containers to keep organized, talcum powder and list goes on and on.

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I love this stuff-- it's so helpful for newbies. I imagine it makes the difference between making a living at trucking, versus just being broke and miserable.
Have y'all considered having a forum dedicated to money-saving tips? I'd be a faithful reader.

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Excellent tips!!!
In my case, the most important way to save money is to keep records of where my money is going. I'm not talking about just saving receipts but of keeping track of how much I spend each day on coffee, snacks, food, truck items, books, etc., etc..
It's amazing how fast you can empty your wallet and not have a clue as to where the money went.

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So, paying an extra fee for the use of a debit card saves money because it is just like cash ...
So cash isn't just like cash??? New one on me.
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I never take cash advances, I use my debit card instead, I pull out $200.00 at a time. Plus, I too keep lots of cash we me. .about $2000.00. It does cost me the $2.00 to $2.50 at the ATM's but to me this is worth it. I can keep track of my debit card withdrawals easier. .. I slide money from savings to checking at the ATM'S .
But then again, I don't have money problems. I have payroll checks I haven't even deposited yet. I don't use direct deposit even though my company has it available.
I don't spend a whole lot of money out here on the road. I eat one meal a day on average at the T/S, other than that, I buy a Subway sandwich or Burger King, etc.
There are drivers out here buying 3 buffets a day, every day, playing cherry machines/video games hours on end and wonder where their money is going.
A driver can easily live pretty cheap out here if they cut down on their T/S food intake. 40 qt Igloo cooler and a stock pile of groceries, can goods etc. You can often use another companies microwave, or use the T/S microwave to heat your food. I never had a use for a microwave inside the truck.
I have one of those 12 volt heating elements, you can heat cans of soaps right in the can. Keep a tupperware bowl in the truck. With mayo in the cooler, a loaf of bread and cans of tuna, makes for a healthier sandwich than using lunch meats. NO, I DON"T EAT SPAM>>>> I wouldn't feed Spam to a dog, that would be animal cruelty.
I buy heater meals, There great at times your at a customer waiting to load/unload. Cheaper than attacking the vending machines and loading up on candy bars and bags of chips. Drivers wonder why they weigh 400lbs.
Look around the super market, there are all kinds of food items you can use in a truck. Non perishable pre-packaged meals abound.
Why am I even typing this out???? Most drivers already know how to save money out here on the road. They prefer to spend money the lazy way, on the T/S meals and buffets, vending machines, taking their CB's to the CB shop every week for CB noise toys and tune ups, buying chicken lights and chrome by the ton, then turn around and cry and whin to everybody how much everything cost.

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I'll give one tip, cleaning windows and the inside of your truck.
I use an empty baby wipes container filled with water with small amount of tide, (you can use the hand soap from the T/S rest room too) A squeegee, (instead of using paper towels)... Keep the container in the side box with a shop rag in it, this keeps the water from slashing out as you drive. I can wash my windows anytime, anywhere.
I also use alcohol by the QT I alway keep several Qts in my truck, pour it into an airtight sprayer. At a buck a QT, It's cheaper than cleaners and does a better job in cleaning residue/streaks off the windows. I use "Micorfiber" cleaning cloths. There washable and man do they clean. I swear by them. I highly recommend these!
With the alcohol and baby wipes, you can clean your whole body between showers. If I have to explain this to you, you haven't been driving very long.